Fear of Flames
by Cinch
Summary: Lily is running from her past. She cannot hide from it. What happens when it catches up with her?
1. A Lonely Girl

CHAPTER 1  
  
Lillian was a lonely girl with a hidden past. She wandered the streets of New York alone. By day she shined shoes, using her pretty face, gender, and skirts as a sympathy ploy to lure customers. At night she slept in dark alleys. In winters, she would sleep in an abandoned warehouse, if she could find one. She spent much of her money on her little brother. She bought him food and paid for his stay in the Manhattan Newsboy Lodging house. She didn't want anything to happen to him. She wanted to be sure that he did not get sick or captured by the bulls. She could not stand it if anything happened to someone else she loved.  
  
The days became cooler as winter approached. Lillian had finally finished shining shoes for the day. She was exhausted and hungry, but Lillian was late for a meeting with her brother. She hurried her way through the crowded streets, dodging pedestrians and wagons as she made her way to a secluded area in Central Park.  
  
"Heya, Lillian!" Her little brother called when she had arrived red in the face and out of breath.  
  
In response, Lily quickly hugged her brother and knocked his hat down over his eyes. "Hello, Timothy." She said with a smile, "How's life as a newsie?"  
  
"Da name's Hudson." He said proudly, "An bein' a newsie's just fine for me! I'se good wid sellin' papes."  
  
"Hudson?" Lily questioned.  
  
"Dat's what da fellas is callin' me."  
  
"And why is that?"  
  
"Cuz I took a dip in da Hudson Rivah, dat's why. An' I likes it."  
  
"But, darling, it's so cold. You are going to get yourself sick! Don't you dare do anything like that ever again." Lily was angered. Why would he do something so stupid after recent events? "Whatevah, Hudson." Lily said with a laugh, trying to shake off the chill of her thoughts. "So now you have a nickname. You are a real newsy."  
  
"Yep I'se hungry. Let's get somthin' ta eat."  
  
"Where would you like to go?"  
  
"How bout Tibby's; I can introduce ya to da fellas, den."  
  
"I'm not hungry." Lily said quickly. She was shy, especially around boys. Lately, she hadn't been felling like being around people or talking.  
  
"You'se as scrawny as a mouse. Ya don't gotta be shy. Dese is nice fellas. Plus, it's Tuesday. Dats da night when we all splurge for a real meal. Can't afford more 'n dat. "  
  
"What happened to your good English?" Lillian questioned in a scolding manner.  
  
"I don't need good English. I'se a newsy now!" Hudson shouted as he hurried ahead to the restaurant where the newsies liked to hang out at, when that could spare the money. Lily followed more slowly and reluctantly. She knew she was going to regret this.  
  
Tibby's was loud with the voices of jesting newsies as they are ate and discussed the happenings of the day.  
  
"Hey," Boots said, "Where's Hudson."  
  
"He's probably pickin' up some goil." Snipeshooter answered with a laugh and a cigar hanging unlit from the corner of his mouth. Peals of laughter spread through the room.  
  
Kid Blink choked on his drink and called out jokingly, "How'se the little guy gonna catch a goil when Itey, here, don't even got one?" Everyone laughed, even Itey as Blink jokingly punched his arm.  
  
"Well, speak 'o da devil." Race snickered as the door opened and Hudson entered the restaurant. They were all surprised to see what he was dragging behind him.  
  
"Whatcah all starin' at?" Hudson called to the almost silent group of boys. Hudson was standing in the doorway with a lovely, older girl. "It's just me sistah." Laughter burst out from a few of the younger newsies because of the irony of the situation, but most of the room was entranced by the lovely girl who stood before them. Lily blushed at the stares and began to turn to leave as Hudson ran to join his friends and order some food, but Race and Kid Blink jumped up to assist the young lady to a table.  
  
"Hiya, lovely." Race began as he pulled her to a table in the middle of the room. Lillian was sickly thin, but her curly brown hair flowed down below her shoulders and her green eyes sparkled warily in the uncertain situation. Fear was emitted from every poise and movement of her body. Race wanted to make her more at ease. "I'se Racetrack, but you can call me Race, and dis here-."  
  
"Me name's Kid blink, sweetheart." Blink said. He was a handsome boy with a patch covering one of his eyes, bringing her hands to his lips in a gentle kiss. Lily became aware of the shoe polish on her hand and quickly pulled away. Blink looked hurt, almost shocked, so she spoke quickly to try to soften her rude gesture. "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance." He was rewarded with a lovely smile.  
  
"You'se not from around here are ya?" a tall attractive boy in a cowboy hat spoke as he stood to shake her hand. "The name's Kelly, Jack Kelly, but me friends call me Cowboy. Sorry bout da stares. Dese fellas don't get ta see a pretty goils everyday." Lily blushed and looked away.  
  
A handsome boy with brown curly hair smiled at her. "My name's Mush." She smiled back. She looked at the many faces that were seated before her. She would never remember all of their names.  
  
Jack pointed at all the boys seated around the room. "This here's Snipeshooter, Pie-Eater, Skittery, Snoddy, Crutchy, Boots, Dutchy, Specs, Swifty, Snitch, Jake, and last but not least, Itey." All of the boys called out hellos and greetings. Itey smiled shyly at her.  
  
She was seated at a table with Race, Kid Blink, Mush, and Jack. They had already eaten and Lily had lost her appetite, not that she had enough money to spare for food. She ordered a water and sipped it slowly as the boys bragged to her about winning the strike and then began interrogating her.  
  
"Where do ya live?" Race asked as he pulled out a cigar and lit it. Lily began coughing and sputtering in the smoke.  
  
"Hey." Jack laughed, coming to her rescue. "No smokin' in da restaurant." He pulled the cigar from Race's mouth and put it out in the ashtray.  
  
"Thank you." Lily said quietly. Jack waved her thanks aside.  
  
"So, where ya stayin', sweetheart?"  
  
"I've been staying at the girl's lodging house in Harlem." Lily lied, blushing crimson. She had never told her brother she had been sleeping in the streets.  
  
The four boys exchanged looks. They knew she had not told the truth, but she did look kind of familiar.  
  
"Den, how come we'se nevah seen ya before?" Blink asked.  
  
"I'm new. It's getting late. I've got to get back to the lodging house." Lily said quickly.  
  
"It is late. Let us walk ya back." Mush said politely. "We don't want anything ta happen to ya."  
  
"I'll be fine on my own."  
  
"Suit yourself." Lily stood and walked over to the table where her brother was seated. She gave him a hug and kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"I miss you. Same time, same place?" she asked.  
  
Lily then muttered a few quick goodbyes and waved as she left, flustered, but thankful that they had let her go.  
  
"She wasn't too friendly, was she?" Mush said wonderingly. He was a sweet boy and most people had liked him almost instantly.  
  
"Nah, she's just a bit shy." Race said, relighting his cigar. "I wonder where she's goin'."  
  
"I dunno, but I'm gonna find out." Blink said. The four boys quickly moved to the door to follow the girl out into the dark, cold night and through the streets of New York.  
  
A/N Well, my first try was terribly unsuccessful. I probably shouldn't have started with all 7 chapters...well if you like it REVIEW!!!!! And I mean it! It would mean so much to me. It's fun to be appreciated and criticism will help with writing, so anything is welcome. Love to all...yeah 


	2. Saint

CHAPTER 2

The boys stealthily followed Lily down the dark, quiet streets. A cold wind was blowing and a few flakes of snow began to fall on the cobblestone roads. Every once and a while, they passed a bum or a drunk sleeping on the streets, but no one else but the boys and Lily were out on this cold and snowy night.

Lily warily looked behind her. She felt as if she was being followed. If only she knew the way to the Harlem Newsboy Lodging House, then maybe the Manhattan newsies would leave her alone.

The boys followed cautiously for nearly an hour before they started to loose interest.

"I don't think she's evah gonna stop." Blink said in disgust.

"Hiya, boys." A familiar female voice spoke from a darkened alley just ahead. Jack peered into the darkness and saw that Lily had stopped. "Whatcha fellas doin' out so late? Don't cha bummas got a curfew?" she laughed. Three girls stepped out of the alley.

"Whadda ya hear? Whadda ya say, Trigger?" Jack spoke lightly. He spit in his hand and held it out for a shake. Trigger returned the gesture. "Hiya, Day Break, Rebel."

"What brings ya out on dis wintry night?" Trigger asked again. She was the leader of the Harlem newsgirls.

"Well, we've been followin' dis goil-." Mush spoke up from behind Cowboy.

"Nevah much thought of you as a skirt chaser, Mush." Rebel laughed. She was another newsies.

"It ain't like dat." Blink said. "She's one of our newsie's sistah. She says she stays in your lodging house. Looks kinda familiar, but she acted like she was lying."

"Well, maybe she does stay at our house." Trigger stated flatly. "What's a name?"

"Lily." All four boys spoke at once. The girls exchanged looks. "Evah hoid of 'er?" Race said. He was getting annoyed as Lily began to move a way from their voices.

"Let's check it out." Trigger muttered almost inaudibly under her breath as the seven raced up the street.

"You don't talk much, Day, do ya/" Jack asked Day Break as they quickly hurried after Lily.

"Only when I've got somthin' ta say." She replied quietly. Jack admired her. She was short with long, silky black hair and brown, almond shaped eyes. She was a Japanese immigrant. Day Break's parents died on the voyage oversea and all of her brothers had left her to go out west, all except Swifty. Swifty had become a Manhattan newsie.

"Hey, Lily!" Trigger called. Lily turned around then, swiftly and took off. She was terrified at being followed by seven people on a dark snowy night. She was fast, but Jack was quicker.

"Lily it's Jack. Ya don't hafta be afraid. It's just dat we ran inta Trigger, Rebel, an' Day."

"We just thought dat cha might like some company back to da Lodging House." Race said panting and out of breath. "Dat's where ya headed, ain't it?"

Lily was horrified. The girls would have no idea who she was and the newsies would know she was lying. Hudson would know she was lying, had been lying all along, about everything. She tried to think quickly.

"I...uh..." she muttered. Lily's mind went completely blank. "I..."

"SAINT!!!" Trigger yelled. "Long time no see. Where've ya been?" Trigger grabbed her in a quick hug. Lily was shocked.

"Oh, my goodness! We didn't think we'd evah see ya again." Rebel screeched. "We've missed ya preachin'. Welcome back" Lily was completely stunned now. If the girls were trying to help her out, she had never seen better acting.

"We bettah git ya back to da lodgin' house. Everybody will be happy ta see ya." Day Break smiled.

"'Specially Whirlwind." Rebel joked knocking Lily's hat over her eyes. "Whyja wait so long ta come back?"

The boys looked at each other quizzically. They didn't know who to believe. Lily sure didn't act anything like Saint. "Well, I thought she looked familiar." Cowboy said. "Come on boys, we bettah get back to da lodgin' house."

"Yeah." Race agreed. "Den we can get a few games a pokah in fore we sleep. Anyways it'll be an early day at da track tamorrow. Dere's did horse..." Race continued talking as he lit yet another cigar and the boys walked slowly back toward Manhattan.

"I don't know who you think I am, but I am not Saint. I don't even know Saint." Lily said quietly as they stood before the doorway to the lodging house.

"Well, ya sure as hell look like Saint." Rebel said, staring into Lily's face.

"You shouldn't talk like that."

"An' ya sure as hell are actin' an awful lot like Saint. What did dem nuns do to ya? Ya talkin' real 'hoity-toity' like." Rebel continued. Day's face had gone pale and Trigger looked angry. She pulled Lily into the light inside the lodging house and stared intently at her. In a few moments, they came to realize that Lily was not Saint.

"She's tellin' da truth. She ain't Saint, but damn I coulda sworn you'se her!" Trigger yelled. Lily blinked as Trigger swore and stormed from the room.

"You'll hafta forgive 'er. Saint was one of 'er best friends and under da circumstances..."

Trigger walked back into the room, slightly calmed down. "You can stay here for the night an' forevah if ya like. I want cha ta at least stay here tanight, so Jacky-boy don't throw a fit at me. It's probably a good thing ya ain't Saint wid all dose hooligans afta 'er." She spoke saddened at the realization that Lily was not her old friend.

"I don't have enough money to stay the night." Lily said apologetically and she turned to leave.

"Den where ya been staying, goily?" Rebel asked angrily. Saint had been her best friend. She was having a great deal of trouble trying to calm down. Lily didn't answer.

"I will pay for you," Day Break said. She looked at Lily and recognized the look of starvation in her face, "and get you something to eat." Day Break smiled shyly at Lily.

Lily returned the smile, "Thank you," she said.


End file.
